RX-93-ν2 Hi-ν Gundam
The RX-93-ν-2 Hi-ν Gundam (pronounced "High-Nu") is an alternate interpretation of the ν Gundam which appears in Mobile Suit Gundam: Beltorchika's Children. Technology and Combat Characteristics Although the Hi-v Gundam is developed from the ν Gundam, it shares few physical characteristics with its spiritual predecessor. In addition to a more bulky and complete frame, the Hi-v sports an exclusively white and violet color scheme to distinguish it from the white and black paintjob on the v Gundam. The Hi-v also features more efficient thrusters across its body along with a more powerful Minovsky reactor core, boosting its overall performance. The most prolific difference, however, is its distinct back boosters and revised fin funnel system. The fairly standard backpack design of the ν Gundam is replaced with a much more unique dual "long booster" system, with another long booster situated between them and two propellant tanks angled below the dual long boosters. These boosters were capable of great accelerations, and the propellant tanks extended the duration of time the boosters could remain active. These long boosters also served as the storage area for the unit's fin funnels. Also, unlike the ν Gundam, the Hi-v Gundam could recharge the fin funnel's power supply, extending their performance time and range to much higher levels than those of previous remote weapons. Apart from the obvious visual differences, the Hi-ν also expands on the ν Gundam's rather limited armaments, with the addition of a powerful machine gun in its right forearm as well as the inclusion of an extra beam saber, bringing the number of beam sabers up to three. In addition to its powerful beam rifle, the unit can also be armed with a ν Hyper Bazooka - a refined, upgraded version of the ν's Hyper Bazooka - and a Hyper Mega Bazooka Launcher, an improved model of the weapon used by the MSN-00100 Hyaku Shiki during the Gryps Conflict. Also, thanks to the improved Psycoframe, its Newtype pilot Amuro Ray had much greater control over the mobile suit, piloting it almost as if it were an extension of his own body and pushing its performance to the absolute limit. With the capabilities, parameters and attack power of the already-powerful ν Gundam greatly enhanced, the RX-93-ν-2 represented the ultimate evolution of functionality and performance in mobile suit combat at the time. Armaments ;*Beam Rifle :The Hi-ν Gundam carries a standard-fare beam rifle as its primary weapon; however, the Hi-ν's beam rifle possesses an output that rivals some mega particle cannons. One shot from it is enough to destroy mobile suits and battleships alike with ease, showing that the beam rifle's power matches that of even the strongest beam weapons in existence. ;*Beam Sabers :The Hi-ν Gundam carries three beam sabers for close combat, with one being stored in the left forearm for rapid draw and deployment and the other two in compartments located on the back-mounted wing binders. The beam sabers stored in the wing binders are capable of producing a second beam blade on the opposite end of the hilt for surprise attacks or handling multiple opponents in combat; it is curious to note that the forearm-stored saber is incapable of such a feat. All three sabers' beams are tinted a royal blue to match the Hi-ν's paint job. ;*Fin Funnels :Like the original ν Gundam, the Hi-ν Gundam carries 6 fin funnels, mounted on the mobile suit's back in a wing-like formation. These remote weapons are the Hi-ν's trump card in any combat situation, allowing the mobile suit to overwhelm any opponent from a single enemy to even the entire Neo-Zeon force. Compared to previous remote weapons, the fin funnels' power rating is dramatically increased, giving them firepower comparable to beam cannons. The Hi-ν is also capable of refueling and recharging its fin funnels, effectively giving them limitless operating time. Along with their offensive purposes, the fin funnels can, like the v Gundam's funnels, also arrange themselves into geometric formations to deploy the fin funnel barrier, a nigh-impenetrable defensive field that can repel virtually any attack thrown against it. ;*Hyper Mega Bazooka Launcher :The Hi-ν's most powerful armament. When in use, the hyper mega bazooka launcher would be directly connected to the Ra Cailum's reactor, and was powerful enough to destroy a fragment of the asteroid base Axis with a single shot. ;*Machine Gun :Located in the Hi-ν's right forearm is a powerful, high-caliber machine gun. It serves as a counter to the use of enemy I-fields, and is powerful enough to tear apart other mobile suits with a concentrated stream of fire. ;*ν Hyper Bazooka :The Hi-ν is also armed with an improved hyper bazooka. Packing upgrades geared towards improving its performance and firepower, it is capable of destroying virtually any enemy unit in a single shot. ;*Vulcan Guns :As with standard mobile suits, the Hi-ν Gundam also sports head-mounted vulcan guns for close-in encounters. System Features ;*External propellant tank :Two eject-able propellant tanks that greatly increase the Hi-ν's speed. ;*Psycoframe Cockpit :The Hi-ν's cockpit is composed of microscopic psycommu receptors, allowing a Newtype pilot to operate both the mobile suit and psycommu weaponry with ease. Amuro Ray would make great use of this feature, controlling the Hi-ν and maneuvering its fin funnels like extensions of his own body. History Even though the upgrades greatly enhance the mobile suit, this does not change the fate of Char's Counterattack, as neither the v Gundam nor the Hi-ν Gundam are able to push Axis by themselves, resulting in the same end that the movie has previously given us. Although, in the novel, we have more details about the technology and the psycommu work. One of the biggest examples is the spiritual manifestation of Amuro's son, protecting the Gundam in a similar fashion to the Z Gundam. Gallery File:Hi-nu-senshi.jpg|Hi-ν Gundam (GPB Color Version) File:MG Hi-v.jpg|Hi-ν's MG redesign File:Mg-hi-nu.jpg|Early MG redesign File:Hinu-hguc.jpg|HGUC box art File:1549973205_87d130c986.jpg|A toy presentation of the fin funnels' beam barrier. File:006c8e3329ee60_full.jpg|3D artwork of the Hi-ν. File:rx93-2_01.jpg File:rx93-2_02.jpg File:rx93-2_03.jpg File:rx93-2_11.jpg File:rx93-2_14.jpg File:rx93-2_12.jpg File:rx93-2_18.jpg File:Hi-nu.jpg|SD form of the Hi-ν. File:Hi-Nu.jpg|Hi-ν MS Girl HD Hi-Nu Gundam.jpg|Hi-v with the Psychoframe fragment Hi-nu gundam Boxart.jpg|MG Hi-v Box art Notes *The Hi-ν Gundam is often portrayed as "The Ultimate Gundam", being frequently ranked among one of the most powerful mobile suits in the entire franchise. *The Hi-ν received a new design for the release of its Master Grade model in 2007 . *The most common and referenced view of the Hi-ν Gundam is its SD (Super Deformed) form, thanks to the Super Robot Wars and SD Gundam G Generation series. Only through official sketches, information, drawings and fanarts based on these do we have a notion of its true proportions. *The RX-93-ν-2 is highly admired by fans of the series and the directors themselves. Examples can be seen in both the games (where the Hi-ν appears directly) and shout outs within the series themselves (ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom, CB-0000G/C Reborns Gundam/Reborns Cannon). *Although the Hi-ν Gundam is one of the most popular mobile suits in the franchise, it rarely appears in video games. This is likely because the Hi-ν appeared only in the book Mobile Suit Gundam: Beltorchika's Children (1988), and typically animated in SD form. *The OVA Model Suit Gunpla Builders Beginning G (2010) features the first animated appearance of the Hi-ν outside of its SD form, where it served as an antagonist and sported a black/yellow/white variant of its paint job reminiscent of the RX-93 ν Gundam's. It was piloted by Koji Matsumoto *The Hi-Nu Gundam is an unlockable unit in the mecha action video game Another Century's Episode: R for the Playstation 3, and is obtained by playing through the game's story mode five times. *In the PSP game Gundam Assault Survive, the Hi-v Gundam is the most expensive Gundam unit to be bought in the entire game, costing up to 12,100,600 G, and is with the highest tuning point possible for a unit, summing up to 37,178 pts. It also appears as one of the Hyper Bosses within the game, and is argued to be the most powerful Gundam in the game. External Links *RX-93-2 Hi-Nu Gundam on MAHQ *Hi-Nu Gundam on Wikipedia